Coal Black
by Ellen3
Summary: Coal Black comes to Hogwarts after three years of being at Durmstrang. please R&R!!!
1. Fanstasy Book

I polished the cover of "1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi" as I exited Diagon   
  
Alley. Opening to the first page, I scanned down a list of strange "A" plants.   
  
"Aari- when exposed to skin, Aari produces permanent red boils, but it is a good remedy  
  
for high fever. It is most commonly found in South Africa..."  
  
Before I could read any farther a yellowed hand reached out and closed the book.  
  
"Don't go walkin' around with your nose in a book! You'll crash into a bus!" I recognized   
  
this voice easily. It was my father's. "Not that it would be bad thing; I need some quiet   
  
around home." He grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled me into our apartment. "Go   
  
to your room!" I paused to take off my sweater but that was a mistake. A hard boot caught me  
  
right in the chest. "Go on! Git!" Wheezing, I dropped my book and scampered off to my   
  
doorway.  
  
A few minutes later I was hiding in my closet and clutching at my side. Breaking glass  
  
could be heard. Undoubtedly, it was beer bottles. I couldn't wait for that train to take me away.   
  
It would be my ticket away from home. Away from my dad. I turned the closet light on and   
  
realized I had forgotten my book out in the dining room. The quiet was suddenly broken by the  
  
sound of ripping pages.   
  
"Oh, no!" I thought "My book!" Misery swept over me but I remained seated in my closet.  
  
Tomorrow I would have to go Hogwarts with no book. My first day at a new school and already   
  
I would leave a bad impression. Not that I didn't make a bad first impression at Durmstrang, but   
  
there I could order a book and it would come the next day.   
  
*************************************************************************************  
  
"Coal!" An angry voice shouted, "Get out here this minute! You'll miss the train and it's not   
  
like I want you here all year!"  
  
I raised my head slightly. All around was darkness and I was squished into a small area. I had  
  
fallen asleep in my closet the day before. My father was calling me about the Hogwarts Express and by  
  
his sense of time we had most likely already missed it. But, not wanting to take any chances, I stood up   
  
and ran to get my bag. We skipped breakfast and drove as fast as our small car could go to get to the   
  
station. The car finally stopped and, with my stomach growling, I got out of car clutching my bag.   
  
I walked through the platform with seconds to spare. The train's engine was steaming. Kids with  
  
huge trunks compared to my small duffel bag walked by with odd looks on their faces. They were probably  
  
wondering what a new fourth-year student was doing there. Or maybe because I was standing there so long.  
  
Finally, I came to my senses and hurried to the train. I heaved my duffel onto a rack and went to look for a seat.   
  
The train was packed and it seemed as though I'd never find a space where I wouldn't be too   
  
cramped. At last I came to the end of the last car. I decided to sit in hallway although I didn't know how long  
  
the trip was. A knock came from the glass next to me. I squinted to see inside the compartment. There was  
  
a bushy haired girl sitting next to two boys. She opened to the compartment door and beckoned me inside.   
  
"If you need a seat, there's plenty of room in here." She said. "My name is Hermione Granger. This   
  
is Ron Weasley." She pointed to the boy in the corner. "And you probably know who this is."  
  
"Uh..." The girl looked shocked.  
  
"This is Harry Potter!"  
  
"Who?"   
  
She opened her eyes even wider. "You mean you've never heard of him?"  
  
"Well, no" I answered.  
  
The three companions gave each other odd looks but finally Harry stood up and shook my hand.  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"Coal Black." He immediately looked worried and whispered something into Hermoine's ear, who   
  
whispered to Ron. "What is this? Telephone?" I was so confused. What did they know that I didn't? I decided to   
  
be direct. "What are you whispering about?" And sat down getting ready for a long explanation.   
  
"Well" Harry began...  
  
"It's just..."  
  
"Nothing." Hermione cut off Ron. She gave the boys warning glances.  
  
"Okay." I said, a little disappointed. Just in case they were going to say something else, I waited. But a   
  
few moments later there was no sign of continuing to wait so I got out my book ("The Rise And Fall of Lord   
  
Voldemort"). It was quite an interesting fantasy story. When I pulled out the book, I had an interesting memory of   
  
the look on the book keepers face when I told him I liked fantasy.   
  
" Lord Voldemort is now referred to as You-Know-Who or He who must not be named.......and killed and tortured   
  
many people before his fall......Harry Potter managed to escape with only a peculiar scar." What? I paused and  
  
read the sentence again. Harry Potter?  
  
The boy who was sitting across from me was currently trading cards with Ron. I noticed his "peculiar"  
  
scar. And realized the book wasn't fantasy. 


	2. Ravenclaw

Chapter 2: Ravenclaw  
  
For the remainder of the train ride I continued to read further with occasional glances towards Harry. I looked for any information on this celebrity that I had never heard of. Hermione joined me in reading about halfway through the journey after watching Harry and Ron have a gobstones war.  
  
While I was studying his behavior, I noticed he ordered exceedingly large amounts food when a woman with a trolley walked by. There wasn't much on the cart, but he ordered it all!  
  
"Want some?" he asked.  
  
"Uh..." I was hungry but I could wait. "No thanks."   
  
"Are you sure? It's a long ride." Hermione pressured. "And, no offense, but you look pretty scrawny." Ron started stuffing his mouth with pumpkin pasties.  
  
"No, I'll be fine." I concluded. Three hours later my stomach growled. Very loudly. Harry tossed me the last pumpkin pasty. It hit me hard in the chest.   
  
"Ouch!" I yelled holding my ribs  
  
"I'm sorry!" he looked alarmed.  
  
"What's the matter?" Hermione crooned. She put her hand on my arm.   
  
"I just have a bruise there already."  
  
"From what?"  
  
"I fell." I lied.  
  
"Oh. I'm really sorry." repeated Harry.  
  
"It's okay." I said, biting hungrily into the pasty.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
It seemed forever that I was stuck on the train. Hermione was right. The ride was long. but at last, we got a signal to change into out robes and the train slowed down. The four of us got off the train last and Harry, Hermione and Ron hurried to get a carriage pulled by some weird animal. I didn't know what to do. I tried asking people, but no one had ever been a new fourth year before.   
  
My spirit was defeated and I quietly leaned against the station wall. "What're you up to?" a loud, booming voice disturbed silence. I looked up and pushed my blond wavy hair out of my eyes and my mouth fell open. A huge figure stood before me. "My name is Rubeus Hagrid. What's yours?"  
  
"C-Coal Black." I stuttered.  
  
"Black? How odd! Oh! I know who you are! You're that new student Dumbledore told me about!" I smiled. Someone new who I was. "Better come with me! Wouldn't want you to get a cold." He held out his giant hand and led me to the castle.   
  
When we arrived at the dining room, an old man sitting at a table was giving a speech. The kids sitting at four long tables were listening attentively. Suddenly, the old man noticed Hagrid and I. A smile spread across his withered faced and looked directly at me. Everyone else followed his gaze. Fear filled my dark eyes. What did I do wrong?   
  
"Aha! Here he is. Everyone on this is Coal. He is a new fourth year student and I want all of you to respect him. Coal, here at Hogwarts, we divide students into, what we call, houses. There are four in all and they are Slytherin, Gryffindor Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff." He motioned to each table in turn. I spotted Harry, Hermione and Ron (who was sitting with three redheads like himself) at the Gryffindor table. Hermione smiled at me. I grinned back. "We sort our students into houses by using this sorting hat so if you would please come to the front of the hall we could find out what house you'll be in."  
  
I nervously walked forward. Everyone turned their heads and continued watching me as I journeyed across the room. A strict looking woman motioned me to a single stool in a cleared area. I sat on it. She placed the sorting hat on my head.   
  
"Well, well, well. A new fourth year student, eh?" a voice rang.  
  
"Yes." I replied, shaking.  
  
"Hmmmmm. You seem to have some brains in you. That seems to make you a... RAVENCLAW!" 


	3. Cho Chang

Chapter 3: Cho Chang  
  
A mild round of applause sounded from my right and the woman motioned me towards a table with blue banners. Professor Dumbledore continued his speech.  
  
"Congratulations, Coal! Ravenclaw is a very respectable house!" Cheers erupted from the table I was sitting at. "This is the head of your house" He pointed to a professor "and I am the headmaster Professor Dumbledore."   
  
"As many of you know, there will be a very special surprise event happening at Hogwarts this year. We are hosting the Triwizard Tournament!" There was mild applause but many confused faces (including mine). What was the "Triwizard Tournament"? Dumbledore looked a little disappointed at our reaction. "The Triwizard Tournament is a competition between three witches or wizards from three different schools. This year, since Hogwarts is hosting, guests from Durmstang and Beaubatons are coming!"  
  
I gasped. Durmstrang? There might be some people I know!   
  
"Unfortunately, we are putting Quidditch on hold for a year because of this." Shouts of protest erupted from the crowd. "Also, we are banning students that are under 17 from competing-" more complaints were heard. "But I'm sure you will all have fun watching, and one of you competing in, the events. All the details will be shared tomorrow evening when our guests have arrived. Well, right now, I'm guessing you're pretty hungry so we shall begin our feast." Food suddenly appeared on our plates and we all dug in.  
  
The conversation was mild at my table. I wasn't asked many questions so I seized the chance to look around and know people by sight. A facts people caught my attention. First, as I was looking over the Slytherin table (most of the people here looked pretty vile) I spotted three boys that looked that they were in about my year shooting angry glances at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I made a mental note to stay away from them. At the Hufflepuff table, most of the students were laughing and smiling. They seemed like nice people, but none of them too intelligent. Next, I studied the Gryffindor table. There, the kids were smiling and talking including the three friends I made on the train. I heard a loud "Pop!" and was startled to see one of the students turn into a canary! Two redheads were clutching there sides and stifling laughs and with another "Pop!" the giant canary turned back into a kid. He was smiling too! I made another note to stay on the "good side" of the redheads.   
  
Now it was time to study my own table. It seemed like the people here were the smartest since half the children were reading. None of these girls seem as pretty as Hermione. I thought. This startled me. Did I have a crush on Hermione? That's what I thought until I reached the end of the table. One of the girls there was absolutely stunning. My eyes rested on her until I felt a tap on my shoulder.  
  
"Excuse me, Coal." A boy's voice rang. I quickly tore my gaze from the girl.   
  
"Oh, hi." I said. The boy I was talking to had brown hair and blue eyes.  
  
"I'm Nickolai." He held out his hand. "I know who you are."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So, I noticed you had your eyes on that girl over there." Nickolai motioned to the pretty girl. "She's awfully pretty, isn't she?" I nodded and began to wonder what this boy was getting to. "That's Cho Chang. She's the most popular girl in the school."   
  
I finished point. "Which means I have no chance."  
  
"Well- yeah pretty much." He patted me on the back and sat down in gap between me and a reading girl. "I went out with her twice last year. "  
  
I raised my eyebrows. "Really?"  
  
"Uh-huh. but she's mostly just looks. She dumped me and went for Diggory."  
  
"Diggory?" I was puzzled.  
  
"Yeah, he's a Hufflepuff. And the most popular guy in school."  
  
"Oh." I mouthed and spotted him talking to his huge group of friends.  
  
"So, now you know that Cho Chang is off limits." He concluded. "So, where are you from?" Nickolai asked.  
  
"Um... well all over, I guess."  
  
"You don't know where you're from?" He said, aghast.  
  
"Well, we move all the time and I never really talk to my dad." I said, embarrassed. "He's an alcoholic and my mom died."  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry."   
  
"It's okay." I said instinctively.   
  
"What's your last name?"  
  
"Black." I said. His eyes opened wide. "What?"  
  
"Nothing."   
  
"Really. What's wrong?"  
  
"Well, there was an escaped convict last year, you know, Sirius Black."  
  
"Oh, don't worry, my dad's name is Regulus."  
  
He looked relieved. "Okay, just wondering." 


End file.
